A-C

acquisitionWhen a user signs up, makes a p=
urchase, or performs some other desired action in response to an ad display=
ed on the Internet. Also called a conversion or action. See also CPA.

ad agencyA company that pro=
vides services such as planning, creating, buying, and tracking advertiseme=
nts and ad campaigns on behalf of a client. Often, people confus=
e media agencies, which are allocators of marketers' spending across c=
hannels =E2=80=93 with creative agencies, which are responsible for th=
e creation of actual ads and campaign content.

ad callWhen an open slot of a=
d space is available on the Internet, a user's browser sends requests to ad=
exchanges or ad servers to send an ad. This request is known as an ad call=
. Ad calls include information from browser cookies and ad tag information =
such as publisher ID, size, location, referring URL, and other specificatio=
ns and data needed for the ad to serve. See also ad tag.

ad podAn ad pod is a linear grou=
ping of video ads designed to fit into the same placement slot and play bac=
k to back.

AdChoices Icon"AdChoic=
es" is part of the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) Self-Regulatory Progr=
am for Online Behavioral Advertising. The clickable icon associated with th=
is program (technically named the "Advertising Option Icon") can be placed =
overtop of creatives in order to give consumers a better understanding of a=
nd greater control over ads that are customized based on their online behav=
ior. See the icon and read more at the DAA's website<=
/a>.

ad exchangeAn ad traffick=
ing system through which advertisers, publishers, and networks meet and do =
business via a unified platform. An ad exchange allows advertisers and publ=
ishers to use the same technological platform, services, and methods, and "=
speak the same language" in order to exchange data, set prices, and ultimat=
ely serve an ad.

ad network A company that =
serves as a broker between a group of publishers and a group of advertisers=
. Networks traditionally aggregate unsold inventory from publishers in=
order to offer advertisers a consolidated and generally less expensive poo=
l of impressions, but they can have a wide variety of business models =
and clients. In the context of ad trafficking and ad tech, the term "network" is generally=
taken to mean an ad network.

ad serverThe computer =
or group of computers responsible for actually serving creatives to website=
s, or for making decisions about what ads will serve. An ad server may also=
track clicks on ads and other data. Major publishers, networks, and advert=
isers sometimes have one or more of their own ad servers. For example, AppN=
exus offers several types of ad servers, each with different capabilities a=
nd features.

ad tagA piece of HTML on a web=
page that will contact an ad server and ask for an ad. The tag informs the =
browser to open a small window (say, 468=C3=9760 pixels), and place whateve=
r content is returned from some location (like http://ad.adserver.com=
/imp?Z=3D468=C3=9760&s) in that window. Note that ad tags a=
re related, but not identical, to placements, which are actually part of the information=
embedded into ad tags. Here is an example JavaScript ad tag:

ad unitA =
single unit of ad space. Sometimes used instead of placement or ad tag.

ad targetingAd targeting=
is the practice of targeting ad content to user and contextual data. Ad ta=
rgeting can involve demographic targeting such as gender, age, or geographi=
cal region (when available), as well as behavioral data such as recent page=
s visited or searches completed. Often known just as "targeting" in online =
advertising.

advertiserAn entity that =
shows its creative=
s on publishe=
r web pages in order to enhance brand awareness, induce the user to make a purchase, etc.=

=
APIAn API, or application programming interface, is a program=
ming method used to interact with software, applications, or tools. APIs pr=
ovide a simplified querying language that allows consumers or developers to=
access underlying databases and hardware without disrupting stability or r=
eliability, and without knowledge of underlying programming languages.=
They may be based on a variety of programming languages and models, but th=
e types of APIs used by consumers to interact with Web-based software or ap=
ps are often known as SOAP or REST services, which consist of a set of specifications f=
or remote calls that enable consumers to interact with data and systems wit=
hout the risk of disrupting their function. For example, AppNexus uses a RE=
STful API to facilitate interaction with its Web-based software.

attributionAttribution r=
efers to how to determine which advertisement was responsible for triggerin=
g a conversion or acquisition =E2=80=93 literally which ad is attributed wi=
th having caused the conversion. The most common attribution model is last view/last click. As =
ad tech advances, other models of attribution are also being used. Also cal=
led conversion attribution.

backfillInventory that is n=
ot pre-sold, also known as remnant inventory. Can also refer to one ad netwo=
rk filling unsold inventory for another ad network.

behavioral dataInform=
ation collected from a users' online actions, for example, things they=E2=
=80=99ve searched for in the past and types of website they frequent. Adver=
tisers sometimes use this type of data in their campaigns to match relevant=
users with their offers. Data privacy laws ban the collection of informati=
on that is deemed to be "personally identifiable," such as =
physical addresses, credit card numbers, and social security/taxpayer ID nu=
mbers (among other things) without the permission of the individual. =

bidderA bidder is a piece of =
technology that uses proprietary code and algorithms to analyze bid request=
s and respond with bids and creatives in real-time auctions. For example, A=
ppNexus hosts a bidder that represents AppNexus Console clients=
=E2=80=99 buy-side settings.

bidding strategyA bi=
dding strategy is the way a buyer calculates a bid in an ad auction. It can=
mean bidding a flat CP=
M or bidding a variable price based on past clickthrough or conversion =
rates.

bid request=
A request sent to a bidder that asks it to return a bid for a given=
impression. Bid requests include data points about the user and the impres=
sion being sold.

blacklistA list of domains=
or apps that a buyer does not want to buy ad space on.

brandA company's produ=
ct line and the image and reputation of that line. Many stakeholders in the=
ad tech industry have guidelines or requirements for the use of branding i=
n creatives. Can also refer to a specific company name, such as Coke, Targe=
t, Honda, and so on.

campaign In advertising, a =
campaign is a set of media that has a shared themes and ideas to market a s=
pecific brand, product, or concept. An online advertising campaign is =
simply an ad campaign that focuses only on web and/or mobile media that dic=
tates a buying strategy for purchasing Web or mobile inventory. Most campaigns also=
include criteria such as a specific start and end date, daily or overall b=
udgets, frequency restrictions, and targeting based on user or inventory da=
ta.

CDNContent delivery network. A C=
DN delivers static content, such as creative image or flash files. Usually,=
CDN providers have servers across the globe configured to deliver content =
as quickly as possible, which is why it's typical for ad servers to rely on=
them.

click log A server-side log=
of predefined information gathered when when a user clicks on an ad.

click URLIf =
a publisher is being paid on a CPC basis and wants to track clicks, they can provide=
click-tracking URL where it is possible to ping them each time a user=
clicks on an ad. Click URLs can also be used by to record clicks en r=
oute to a =
landing page. See also publisher click-tracking.

cloudIn general, a computing c=
loud is a networked group of servers accessible through remote means. In ad=
tech, this usually refers refers to cloud computing infrastructure on=
which an ad platform of some kind runs. Data or processes existing within =
such a network is sometimes said to be "in the cloud".

contextual dataInformation on the contents of the webpage that a user is v=
iewing upon ad call, usually used for ad targeting. For example, if the use=
r is viewing a newspaper article about travel, an airline may wish to displ=
ay on that page. See also semantic targeting. This is d=
istinct from user data.

conversionWhen a user sig=
ns up, makes a purchase, or performs some other desired action in response =
to an ad. Also called an acquisition or action, especially to distinguish conversions/=
acquisitions from clicks in payment methods (CPC vs. CPA).

convers=
ion funnelThis describes the path a consumer takes from seeing =
an ad or otherwise hearing about a brand or concept (the broad end of the f=
unnel) to possibly navigating an e-commerce website and finally taking a de=
sired action such as making a purchase (the narrow end of the funnel). In a=
simplistic example, many users see an ad, fewer click, fewer visit a site,=
fewer purchase. Various stages of the funnel may be used as a proxy for me=
asuring the effectiveness of advertising, and funnel events do not need to =
be linear.

conversion pixelA pi=
xel that fires when a user "converts" by clicking on a ad, registering, mak=
ing a purchase, or completing another action. Advertisers can place convers=
ion pixels on a landing page, registration page, checkout pages, or elsewhere to track=
conversions.

cookieA parcel of text sent b=
y a server to the cookie file in a browser and then sent back unchanged by =
the client each time it accesses that server. HTTP cookies are used for aut=
henticating, session tracking, and storing information about specific users=
, such as site preferences or buying habits. Advertisers often use cookies =
to track the number and frequency of advertisements that have been shown. S=
ee also =
first-party cookies and third-party cookies.

cost plus A payment model in which advertisers agree to pay the cost of med=
ia plus an additional C=
PM or % profit margin on top.

CPACost per action/acquisition. =
A payment model in which advertisers pay for every action, such as a sale o=
r registration, completed as a result of a visitor clicking on their advert=
isement. Note that an "acquisition" is the same as a "conversion".

=
CPICost per install. A payment model in which mobile ad=
vertisers pay each time a user installs their app.=
p>

CPCCost per click. A payment mod=
el in which advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their advertisement.=

=
CPMCost per mille, or thousand (mille =3D t=
housand in Latin). A pricing model in which advertisers pay for every 1000 =
impressions of their advertisement served. This is the standard basic prici=
ng model for online advertising. See also CPC and CPA.

creative tagSimilar to a=
n ad tag, this is=
a snippet of code that gives the location of the creative, which is usually a content de=
livery network (CDN) or an ad server.

CSVComma separated values. A data file structured =
in a table form with fields separated by commas. This is one file format us=
ed to transmit multiple creative tags during bulk sending.

CTRClick-through rate - l=
iterally, the rate or frequency at which users click through to a landing pag=
e from an ad.

D-L

DAAThe Digital Advertising Allia=
nce. An online advertising industry association, made up of many other orga=
nizations, and dedicated to self-regulation. Possibly best known for the Advertising Opt=
ion Icon. Read more on the DAA's website.

daisy chainWhen the linki=
ng of several ad tags, usually from different exchanges, ad servers, or ad =
networks, creates a "waterfall" =E2=80=93 or "daisy chain" =E2=
=80=93 of impressions passing from tag to tag. If no creative is found=
via the demand available to Ad Tag 1, the impression can be passed to Ad T=
ag 2, Ad Tag 3, and Ad Tag 4 to see if demand is available there, and so on=
until a creative is found and served.

data management platformIn ad tech, a data=
management platform (DMP) is a centralized system for gathering first-part=
y data, integrating with third-party data, and applying this data to one's =
advertising strategy. A DMP may offer the following features: estimating th=
e likely reach for a user segment, measuring the lift from using data, acti=
ng as a financial clearing house between data buyers and sellers, and assis=
ting publishers in monetizing data on their users. DMPs most commonly work =
with user data=
but may also work with contextual data, or other types of data.

data providerA business that provides data about u=
sers. Advertisers can use the information to better target users. This data=
may include enriched user data or contextual data that exchanges, ad serve=
rs, or ad networks may not gather or manage in-house, but use in ad targeting.&nb=
sp;Data privacy laws ban the collection of information that is deemed=
to be "personally identifiable," such as ph=
ysical addresses, credit card numbers, and social security/taxpayer ID numb=
ers (among other things) without the permission of the individual.=
p>

decisioningThe automated process by which an ad se=
rver, ad platform, or exchange literally decides where, how, and to whom to=
serve an ad. This can be based on an auction prioritizing certain kinds of=
online ad space, prioritizing advertisers based on relationships and prior=
agreements, or other methods.

deduplicationSometimes=
known as "deduping" =E2=80=93 means removing duplicate entries o=
r events in a data set. Effective programmatic buying is dependent on gett=
ing accurate and useful data sets, and deduplication is often a step in tha=
t process. For example, if a user clicks twice on the same creative but the=
se two actions are only linked to a single conversion, it's possible to dedupe the asso=
ciated data set to prevent it from counting second clicks.

default creative A default creative is a creative that runs as a backup in an open Intern=
et ad space, in the case that no other creatives are available. A default c=
reative can be a literal creative, say an in-house ad, or it can be a redir=
ect in the form of a third-party ad tag to a third-party ad server. A default creative may also be called =
a "reserve creative."

default tagIf no imp=
ression can be found for an ad opportunity, a default tag may be served. The tag is passed t=
o a third-party ad serverto see if demand can be f=
ound there (this happens in the case of daisy chaining) or to simply pull =
a creative from that server. Sometimes called a passback.

demand side platform (DSP) =
A company that allows advertising clients to buy digital media on =
several different selling systems, or exchanges, through one interface. For=
more information about this process, see bidder.

direct responseA term=
applied to marketing or advertising that is designed to solicit a direct r=
esponse which is specific and quantifiable. In online display advertising, =
examples of this can include clicking on an ad, making a purchase, signing =
up for a newsletter, and so on.

display advertising Online advertising is often divided into "display" and "search." Display =
ads are images and search is text based. Display ads, sometimes referred to=
as banners, come in standardized ad sizes, and can include text, logos, pi=
ctures, or rich media.

direct media buyA pre=
-brokered agreement between an advertiser and publisher to deliver a certai=
n amount of specific inventory for a preset cost.

DMADesignated market area or demographic metropoli=
tan area. A geographic area originally defined as a group of counties that =
made up a cohesive television market. May also stand for the Direct Marketing =
Association.

DMA OBA complianceT=
he Direct Marketing Association has been heavily involved in creating guide=
lines for online behavioral advertising (OBA), or advertising to people sur=
fing the Internet based on their past browsing history. For more informatio=
n, see the DMA Website.

dynamic creativeMany=
advertisers wish to show different ads to different customers; for example=
, an advertiser might wish to show rain gear to people who live in rainy cl=
imates and sunblock to those who live in sunny climates. Dynamic creatives =
refers to having a few different creatives and choosing the most appropriat=
e one for the user through some automated means such as audience segmentation or base=
d on frequency and recency. Many platforms have rules about how much creati=
ves can vary within the same placement =E2=80=93 for example, there may be limitati=
ons on rot=
ating brands.

dynamic pricingPurchase pricing for an ad impressi=
on that is determined via real-time bidding (RTB) rather than a predetermine=
d rate.

eCPAEffective Cost Per Acquisition.=
This is calculated by dividing your cost (or revenue) by the number of con=
version events. Shows how much is spent in CPA when payouts are =
measured using another pricing model.

eCPCEffective Cost Per Click. A translation=
from CPM, CPC, CPA, and other pricing models so that th=
ey can be compared. Shows how much is spent in CPC when payouts are measure=
d using another pricing model.

eCPMEffective Cost Per Thousand. A translation fro=
m CPM, CPC, CPA, and any other pricing mod=
els so they can be compared. Shows how much is spent in CPM when=
payouts are measured using another pricing model.

engagement metricsIn online advertising, engagemen=
t metrics are the metrics used to measure consumers' engagement with the ad=
s they encounter online. Engagement metrics are used by digital media buyer=
s to gauge the effectiveness of their advertising. This is most easily done=
by direct marketers who use CPA buying strategies, but there are a variety of other ways=
to measure the impact of ads via engagement. Some possible engagement metr=
ics include whether a user has watched an entire video ad, if a user hovers=
over a creative with a mouse, and whether a user has clicked on an ad. Mor=
e generally, the term engagement metrics may also be applied to a range of =
online behaviors, such as how long a visitor spends on a website.

expandable adRich media=
creatives tha=
t can be enlarged beyond the initial dimensions of the placements they fill on web pages=
.

first-party cookiesCookies that =
use the domain of the website a user is currently on. For example, if you v=
isit www.mysite.com and the domain of the cookie is www.mysite.com, then th=
is is a first-party cookie. First-party cookies are usually used for login,=
user experience, and retargeting purposes. See also third-party cookies.

first touchAn attribution model in w=
hich gives credit for the first impression a user saw. This may be used as =
an alternative to the last view/last click model, which gives credit for the last viewed or click=
ed ad.

flightThe lifetime of a =
campaign, from its start date to its end date. A campaign can also have no =
flight dates and continue indefinitely. A campaign that is active is said t=
o be "in flight".

frequencyHow often an ad i=
s shown in a certain period, such as a single browsing session or a 24 hour=
period. Advertisers often want to limit frequency to avoid showing an ad t=
o the same user too often, also known as overexposure. See also recency.

frequency cappingTh=
e act of limiting, or "capping" how often a particular creative can be serv=
ed to a user. For example, an advertiser might use frequency capping to ens=
ure that an ad could be shown to the same user no more than three times per=
24 hours. See also recency capping.

guaranteed inventoryInven=
tory consisting of impressions sold ahead of time, rather than in a real-ti=
me auction via real-time bidding. Called guaranteed because the publish=
er signs a contract with an agency committing to deliver the specified impr=
essions in exchange for an agreed-upon sum. If the guarantee is not met, th=
e agency will often request a =E2=80=9Cmake-good,=E2=80=9D usually in the f=
orm of a credit. See also premium inventory.&=
nbsp;

iframeAn HTML iframe tag tell=
s the browser to open a mini browser window of a specified size inside the =
current window. This way the ad content cannot expand beyond the size speci=
fied and "take over" the screen.

impressionA creative=
served to a single user at a single point in time. Sometimes called an "im=
p".

in-banner videoIn-ban=
ner video is a type of creative played in a standard banner rather than in =
a video player. Any banner placement may accommodate an in-banner video cre=
ative, if allowed by the publisher.

in-stream videoIn-str=
eam video is a type of creative played in video players on Web pages. This =
creative type uses VAST XML to ensure proper rendering in players and are shown before, =
in the middle of, or after other video content.

instanceAlso called a virtu=
al machine, virtual operating system, or virtual server, an instance is an =
individual guest operating system that runs on top of a virtualization laye=
r on top of a physical server. Instances are the building blocks of cloud computing.

Interactive Adve=
rtising Bureau (IAB)An online ad industry association focused=
on the growth of the interactive advertising marketplace whose stated goal=
is to educate "marketers, agencies, media companies and the wider business=
community about the value of interactive advertising". Read more at the IAB'=
s website.

=
span> interstitial ad=
An ad that displays as a user navigates from one web page to the next=
. The ad fills the browser window after the user leaves the initial page, b=
ut before the target page displays on the user=E2=80=99s screen.

inventoryOpen digital spac=
es in which ads can be served and displayed. Publishers sell ad inventory.

JSONJavaScript Object Notation =
is a lightweight data-interchange format based on a subset of JavaScript. J=
SON is a programming language often used for APIs. It i=
s a language-independent text format that uses conventions from the C-famil=
y, including C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, Perl, and Python. A =
JSON object looks something like this:

=20

{
"glossary": {
"entry": "CPM",
"definition":"See Cost Per Mille"
}
}

=20

=
landing pageThe page to which a user is directed afte=
r clicking on an ad. For example, if a user clicks on a Cheese of the Month=
ad, they may be directed to cheeseofthemonth.com, or to cheeseofthemonth.com/signupnow or some other landing page chosen by=
the advertiser. The landing page may be slightly different from the <=
a href=3D"#OnlineAdvertisingandAdTechGlossary-clickURL">click URL.

last clickA type of attribution model that pays out on the last impression that was =
clicked on by the user=
. This may be used as an alternative to the first touch model, which gives credit for the first impression a user saw.<=
/span>

last viewA type of attribution model =
that pays out on the last impression that was viewed by the user. This may be used=
as an alternative to the first touchmodel, whi=
ch gives credit for the first impression a user saw.

liftThe percent increase in per=
formance (measured in ROI, CPC, CPA, etc.) that can be attributed to advert=
ising (or some other marketing endeavor).

long-tailAd inventory =
with relatively low exposure or limited users, such as a personal blog with=
a very low number of followers, or numerous less desirable users, such as =
people who are very young, have minimal disposable income, or other factors=
that would make them unlikely consumers of a product or service. The long =
tail can be difficult to monetize.

lookback windowAn amo=
unt of time taken into account when collecting data to be used for attribut=
ing conversions, a bid optimization model, or anything else. Common lookbac=
k windows are a day, 14 days, 30 days, etc.

M-R

marketerGenerally a large a=
dvertiser that manages at least some of its own digital advertising. Also c=
alled a direct marketer.

media planA holistic view =
of a given advertiser's media buys. Often managed by a media agency.

=
mediationThe process of sending <=
a href=3D"#OnlineAdvertisingandAdTechGlossary-bidrequest">bid requests to ad buyers outside of the AppNexus exchange via=
a client or server side redirection, with passbacks in case the buyer doesn=E2=80=99t fill=
the impression. Mediation ena=
bles access to additional ad networks to maximize fill rates. There are two=
main categories of mediation: web mediation and mobile mediation.

mobile mediationMobile mediation typically involves server-to-server reques=
ts via two systems to determine if the buyer has an ad, or embedding an ad =
network=E2=80=99s SDK within your SDK to make calls to the buyer=E2=80=99s =
ad server.

native advertisingAdvertising that matches the form and func=
tion of the platform on which it appears, for example, the ad search term r=
esponses at the head of Google search results, or promoted Tweets in a Twit=
ter stream.

nonexclusive inventoryInventory for which a=
given ad trafficker can't be certain where they are in the ad call daisy c=
hain. They may be first or the ad call may have already passed through anot=
her platform as part of a daisy chain.

online behavioral=
advertising (OBA)Advertising to people surfing the Internet =
based on their past browsing behaviors. See also DMA OBA compliance.

=
optimizationThe process of using historical data to a=
djust a programmatic approach to buying a piece of inventory. Frequently, t=
his information will be used to either alter the bid price for a piece of i=
nventory or determine if a buyer is willing to bid on a piece of inventory =
at all.

<=
/strong> out-stream videoA=
type of video ad embedded within an article or other body of web content, =
mostly set to auto-play when the reader reaches the part of the page that c=
ontains the ad.

owned and operatedIn=
online advertising, a type of publisher that both owns and operates its inventory sourc=
es. Different from a managed publisher, which does not own and operate its =
inventory sources but has a financial relationship with those who do. =

passbackThe redirecting of an impression back =
to an ad server when no acceptable bid is received =
from a mediated bid, in order to allow the next highest bidder a chance to =
win the impression. See also default tag.

personally =
identifiable information (PII)Information that can be tied to=
an actual named person, rather than an anonymous user ID. For example, nam=
es, social security numbers, residential addresses, and driver's license nu=
mbers would be considered PII. Many jurisdictions worldwide have explicit p=
olicies banning the use and tracking of PII in online advertising, and nume=
rous ad traffickers do as well.

PHP session IDA PHP session allows you to store us=
er information on a server for later use. However, session information is t=
emporary and will be deleted after the user has left a website. Sessions wo=
rk by creating a unique ID (UID) for each visitor and storing variables bas=
ed on this UID. The UID is either stored in a cookie or is propagated in th=
e URL.

pixelA pixel is a way to track=
user data. Originally, all pixels were literally snippets of code that cal=
led for a 1X1 transparent pixel to be delivered to a webpage by a third-par=
ty server. Nowadays, pixels may either be literal pixels or be javascript b=
ased. When the pixel loads, the third-party server can record information s=
uch as the IP address of the user's computer, URL of the page, and time the=
page was viewed. See also conversion pixel and segment pixel.

placementA term describing=
the object that represents a piece of inventory. Publishers embed placemen=
ts into web pages' ad tags. This same object may also be called an ad tag or an ad unit, but this is sli=
ghting inaccurate, as placements contain tags and represent units of available ad space.

pop-upAn ad that displays in a secondary browser window =
directly in front of the initial browser window. See also pop-under.

PPMProfit per thousand, or mille imp=
ressions (mille =3D thousand in Lat=
in). A useful measurement for ad networks, whose goal is to buy cheaper inventory and se=
ll it at higher prices.

premi=
um inventoryThe term "premium" can be used in different ways,=
but it most commonly refers to publisher inventory that is sold through di=
rect channels in advance =E2=80=93 in other words, guaranteed inventory.&nbs=
p;Often premium inventory is from a site's home page, or has some ot=
her elevated level of desirability. See also remnant inventory.

programmatic buying Buying through automated means, for example, by setting up a campaign in =
an RTB exchange or other automated system. This is opposed to more manual b=
uys where you are in contact with a sales team, or other "offline" mechanis=
m.

PSAPublic service announcement. On many ad serving=
platforms, a PSA will serve if there are no acceptable bids on a piece of =
inventory and the publisher does not have a default creative set.

publisherA source of inventory. Publish=
ers are generally either managed or owned and operated. An owned and operat=
ed publisher receives 100% of the profit for impressions sold. This is=
opposed to a managed publisher: a publisher that does not own its inventor=
y but has a financial relationship with those who do.

publisher cl=
ick-trackingWhen a publisher keeps track of clicks on their a=
ds. If a publisher is being paid on a CPC basis and wants =
to track clicks, they can provide click-tracking URL where it is possible to ping th=
em each time a user clicks on an ad.

query stringA way to pass data to a web appli=
cation as part of a URL. For example, at AppNexus a buyer can target ads ba=
sed on the information in the querystring. The query string comes afte=
r a "?" in the URL, for example:

=20

http://www.mysite.com/photos?query_string=3D17

=20

reachThe number of unique user=
IDs that can be reached by online advertising. You might broaden your reac=
h by targeting new inventory, or evaluate the reach inherent in some set of=
user data such as "male clothes shoppers."

real-time advertising In real-time advertising, ads are shown as the result of real-time bidding=
auctions.

=
real-time bidding (RTB)Bidding that happens via automated auc=
tions on online ad inventory in real time. A real-time bid is often dynamic=
ally generated based on past performance of creatives, inventory, user groups, and other parameters. =
Real-time bidding also implies multiple bidding systems or exchanges making=
calls to each other in real time.

recency c=
appingA way to limit the showing of an ad over time. For exampl=
e, an advertiser might want to avoid showing an ad to a specific user ID more than on=
ce per hour.

retargetingTargeting users who hav=
e performed an action in the past, who may therefore be more likely to perf=
orm the same or a similar task in the future. For example, an advertiser mi=
ght wish to put a segment pixel on their website and then target users who have visit=
ed the website in the past because they are more likely to make a purchase.=

remnant inventoryIn=
ventory sold after premium inventory has been pre-sold by a direct salesforce. Re=
mnant inventory is sometimes synonymous with real-time inventory, and is of=
ten the target of programmatic buying. Because remnant has an unnecessarily=
negative connotation, other terms that have been experimented with are "pr=
emnant" (premium + remnant} or "secondary premium." Also sometimes called "=
tier 2" or "class 2."

reportingIn ad tech, reporting data for both buyer=
s and sellers, such as much money spent, impressions seen, impressions sold=
, and revenue earned. Because automated programs can be used to track =
spending, impressions, and earnings, online advertising has helped buyers t=
o understand the value of their marketing budgets in new ways.

requestIn general, the term =
"request" can refer to any attempt by one's browser to retrieve a page, inc=
luding page elements such as ads, from a server on the Internet. In ad tech=
it usually applies to a request for a creative or ad tag.

Rising StarsA set of interactive rich media creati=
ve types defined by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB). Th=
ey include Billboard, Filmstrip, Slider, Portrait, Pushdown, and Sidekick. =
There is also a set of Mobile Rising Star ad units, which include Filmstrip=
, Pull, Adhesion Banner, Full Page Flex, and Slider. See examples at t=
he IAB website.

ROIReturn on investment. Literally, how much profi=
t is made when money is invested. ROI can also be an idiom for whether or h=
ow much a given action or risk pays off, both in ad trading and business in=
general.

ROERun of exchange. A term meaning inventory avail=
able for purchase on an ad exchange.

RONRun of network. A term meaning all inventory ma=
naged by a network.

ROSRun of site. A term meaning all inventory avail=
able on a certain website.

RPMRevenue per thousand, or mille&nb=
sp;impressions (mille =3D thousand in Latin). Related to the CPMbidding strategy.

rotating creativeWh=
en a single ad tag is set to send one of several different creatives. Brand=
and other guidelines for creative acceptance may set limits on how much cr=
eatives may vary when associated to a single tag. For example, AppNexus ban=
s a single tag from showing ads for multiple brands. See also dynamic creative.&nb=
sp;

S-Z

=
second price auctionAn auction type in which=
the bidder who submitted the highest bid pays a price equal to the second =
highest bid. Also known as a Vickrey auction. This auction type has been in=
use for over a century for the purchase and sale of a variety of goods and=
services, and is based on game theory as applied to auction dynamics. It's=
a commonly used auction type in online ad trading.

segment A group composed of members of a target audience=
identified based on the webpages they visit, the actions they take such as=
making a purchase or completing a sign-up form, or data such as gender or =
geographical region.

segment pixelA pixel th=
at marks a user as belonging to a certain segment. For example, an advertiser might p=
lace a segment pixel on the homepage and mark all visitors to the homepage =
as "homepage visitors."

semantic targeting=
In theory, semantic targeting means figuring out what the content on a webp=
age is really about and being able to place ads based on that content. For =
example, if a website says "sunny weather," is it about great beach vacatio=
ns, or is it about skin cancer, and do you want to advertise flights to Flo=
rida on it or not? However, the term is often used by different people to m=
ean slightly different things, and is often used to be synonymous with contextual t=
argeting.

skin creative A creative that wraps, acts as a wal=
lpaper, or otherwise surrounds page content with ad content.

supply side platform (SSP)=
Analogous to a demand side platform (DSP), an SSP enables publish=
ers to access demand from a variety of networks, exchanges, and platforms v=
ia one interface.

tagA snippet of HTML, generally =
either JavaScript or an IFRAME, that tells the browser to request some cont=
ent from an ad server. Tag is often used to mean an ad tag but may also be a creative =
tag or some other kind of tag. A tag is provided by an ad server or exchang=
e and placed in the webpage by a publisher.

tag containerMany adver=
tisers and their media buyers use a number of tags for tracking impressions, clicks, conversio=
ns, and other data. Some use tag containers to manage these disparate pixel=
tags and make it easier to change them via a single source. When a page lo=
ads, the tag container code displays the code for all tags stored within th=
e container.

technology providers Third-party entities who may assist various parties involved in Interne=
t advertising by providing access to bidders or other technology.

third-party cookiesCookies with =
a different domain than the website a user is currently on. For example, if=
you visit www.mysite.com, an AppNexus cookie with the domain ib.appnexus.c=
om would be a third-party cookie. See also first-party cookies.

timestampThe date and time that a specific event =
=E2=80=93 such as a click or conversion =E2=80=93 occurred. Useful in reporting fu=
nctions and att=
ribution. For example, at AppNexus, the timestamp format is YYYY-MM-DD =
HH:MM:SS. In this format, 12:15 PM on New Year's Day 2015 would be 2015-01-=
01 12:15:00.

trading deskA buy-s=
ide trading entity housed within or working for advertising agencies. Also =
known as an agency trading desk or ATD. ATDs are usually the programmatic a=
rms of holding companies. Independent trading desks, known as ITDs, are ano=
ther kind of trading desk, and are usually outsourced managed services firm=
s that run programmatic ad buys on behalf of advertisers or agencies.

uniquesIndividual users=
, as represented by a unique user ID. A unique user ID is not associated in any =
way with personally identifiable information (PII), so it c=
annot identify a specific unique individual. Also, an individual may be ass=
ociated with multiple user IDs due to clearing browser cookies or using mul=
tiple browsers and multiple devices. Additionally, for mobile devices, a un=
ique user ID may be associated with multiple device IDs (for example, =
Apple IDFA, OpenUDID, and others). See reach to learn more about individual users/user=
IDs.

unique user ID Also sometimes called a UUID. A unique, anonymous user ID for =
a given user profile that may be stored in a user's browser cookie and=
/or in the a server-side cookie store. Ad traffickers are not permitted to =
associate these IDs in any way with personally identifiable inf=
ormation (PII), and user IDs do not necessarily equate to a unique indi=
vidual. An individual may also be associated with multiple user IDs due to =
clearing cookies or using multiple browsers and multiple devices. Additiona=
lly, for mobile devices, a unique user ID may be associated with multiple d=
evice IDs (for example, Apple IDFA, OpenUDID, etc.).

userA target customer for adver=
tisers. The person browsing the web who will see an ad.

user agentThis usually refers to a browser applica=
tion. For example, Mozilla 5.0 is a specific user agent.

user dataInformation about =
users that ma=
kes them more valuable to advertisers. User data can include age, gender, l=
ocation, intent to purchase, demographics, psychographics, wealth, past pur=
chases, and more. User data is generally associated with a UUID found in a cooki=
e rather than any personally identifiable information. User=
data is distinct from contextual data. Often used interchangeably with segment dat=
a and audience data.

user data storeA place where data about a user is =
stored. In online advertising, this often refers to a user's browser cookie=
. Sometimes, certain user data may be stored server-side for a limited=
period of time. This data is periodically expunged from server records in =
order to prevent it from drastically slowing server function, and does not =
contain personally identifiable information (PII).

user-generated content <=
/strong>Content on a website that was posted by users and not a centralized=
publisher. This includes social media posts as well as blogs, wikis, podca=
sting, images, videos, audio files, and other forms of media created and po=
sted by users of an online system or service. Some sites support user conte=
nt through advertising. Others are supported by donations, subscription fee=
s, or a combination of methods. Examples of sites that emphasize or ar=
e built around user-generated content include Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, In=
stagram, Pinterest, Wikipedia, YouTube, Vine, and SoundCloud.

user ID mappingEach buyer and seller may assign the=
ir own different IDs to a user. Without knowing that Seller S's user ABC is=
the same as Buyer B's user 1234, it is impossible for B to value an impres=
sion from S. To allow for attribution and valuation, different parties must=
synchronize their IDs by mapping one ID to another. For example, AppNexus =
assigns every user it sees a unique ID that's stored in the user's browser =
cookie. The AppNexus member or bidder maps the AppNexus ID to their interna=
l user ID with the AppNexus User ID Mapping Service. Also known as use=
r ID synching.

user sync pixelA pixel=
used to synchronize user IDs assigned by different parties during an aucti=
on, generally to apply frequency, recency, and other decisioning data. See =
also user ID =
mapping.

VASTVideo Ad Serving Template. =
This is an XML-based video ad serving protocol. It was created to provide a=
uniform way for video content to be transferred from ad servers to video p=
layers on web pages. For details, see the Interactive Advertising Bu=
reau (IAB)VAST documentation=
.

video quartilesA quar=
tile is 1/4th of something. Media players fire a series of engagement pixel=
s as the video continues to play. These pixels typically indicate how many =
quartiles of a video has been played, firing at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% com=
pletion.

vCPMCost per =
mille, or thousand, viewable impressions (mille =3D=
thousand in Latin). A pricing model in which advertisers pay for every 100=
0 viewable impressions of their advertisement served. Viewability refers to =
whether an impression was actually seen by the user, and can be determined =
according to a variety of methods.

VMAPVideo Multiple Ad Playlist =
(VMAP) specification. This is an XML template that video content owne=
rs can use to describe the structure for ad inventory insertion when they d=
on=E2=80=99t control the video player or the content distribution outlet.=
p>

vendor In online advertising, a vendor generally refers t=
o a company with a specific product or service such as creating or deliveri=
ng rich media, maintaining a CDN, or providing third-party data.

viewabilityA measure of whether an ad has been seen=
by a given user. Viewability measurement is achieved using javascript=
embedded within each creative, which is then called for each individual ad=
impression. The script launches automatically as the page loads and immedi=
ately starts measuring if and when the creative is viewable based on a vari=
ety of measures. These may include whether a web or browser tab is in focus=
, whether a particular ad is in view of a user based on where on the page t=
he user has scrolled to, how long an ad was visible based on these metrics,=
and other factors. The most commonly used bidding strategy based on viewab=
ility is CPVM. In =
2015, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) released industry stand=
ards for viewability. To learn more, see the IAB website.&nbsp=
;

web mediationMedi=
ation that takes place over the Web. Web mediation involves trafficking=
an ad network=E2=80=99s tags. The tags are called when the seller ranks th=
e networks proxy bid higher than any other demand. If the buyer doesn=E2=80=
=99t take the impression, a passback tag set up by the seller informs the a=
d network to go to the next highest bidder or ad network. =
span>

yield managementBroa=
dly, this term refers to selling the right things to the right customer at =
the right time for the right price to maximize revenue. In online advertisi=
ng, it generally refers to maximizing the revenue of publishers and their i=
mpressions using tools such as price floors.